The Cleveland Browns are currently under investigation from the NFL after allegations the team deliberately threw games in 2016 and 2017.

As reported by Sports Illustrated, the league confirmed in a statement that an investigation is underway into claims that the Browns provided incentives to former coach Hue Jackson to lose games during the 2016 and ’17 seasons.

The Browns finished with 1-15 record in 2016 and 0-16 the following year.

Jackson told SI: "Two years ago I tried to do this the right way, through the bylaws and constitution of the National Football League, to ask them to investigate the Cleveland Browns for all the allegations that I’ve made. So why open an investigation now?”

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Browns respond

A spokesperson for the Browns sent a statement that read: “Even though Hue recanted his allegations a short time after they were made, it was important to us and to the integrity of the game to have an independent review of the allegations.

"We welcomed an investigation and we are confident the results will show, as we’ve previously stated, that these allegations are categorically false. We have fully cooperated with Mary Jo White and look forward to the findings.”

Was it worth it? 

You can certainly argue that the method worked for the Browns in the long run, as those bad seasons allowed them to draft the likes of Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett, David Njoku and Denzel Ward, all players that helped turn the Browns from the bottom-feeders of the league to being somewhat more competitive in recent seasons, even reaching the playoffs back in 2020.

However now that we discover it could have been done through somewhat immoral methods means that the whole thing takes on a different image than before. 

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 15: Nick Chubb #24 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball for a nine-yard rushing touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

A bigger problem in the NFL?

The Browns are not the first team to find themselves in hot water in recent weeks when it comes to intentionally throwing games, with the Miami Dolphins also coming in for some intense scrutiny after allegations have emerged regarding former head coach Brian Flores. 

A report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport on the matter claimed that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could lose the team over the incident if other league owners voted against him, but whether or not a similar punishment is likely to come down on the Haslam family who owns the Browns, we’ll just have to wait and see. 

Either way, judging by how hard the league appears to be cracking down on the idea of tanking, it might just be enough to persuade other teams from thinking twice about doing it themselves in the future. 

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns reacts against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 24, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Tanking

The process of ‘tanking’ in order to acquire better draft picks and thus increase the chances of getting better players onboard is not exactly a big secret in the world of sports. 

The idea of throwing games deliberately has arguably been done most famously by the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, with the process literally being called ‘The Process’ by the team, so open were they about what their long-term strategy was for how they wanted to acquire better players moving forward through the NBA Draft, forcing the NBA to take action a few years ago in order to try and prevent teams from continuing to do it.  

However, whilst the NBA works in a 'lottery system' whereby the teams with the worst record simply get better odds when it comes to getting the number one pick in the draft, the NFL works on a more simple 'worst team picks first' system, guaranteeing that, barring a trade such as in 2016 between the Tennessee Titans and the Los Angeles Rams, the team that finished with the fewest wins will get the first choice in the subsequent draft.